DRC’s Kibali gold mine exceeds target | 2019 output

The Kibali mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) far exceeded its production forecast of 750,000 ounces of gold in 2019, delivering 814,027 ounces in a record year, reported Canadian gold miner Barrick Gold . 

CEO Mark Bristow, who was in Kinshasa on Monday, said the performance of Kibali, 45% owned, demonstrated how a modern top-level gold mine could be successfully developed and mined in one of the most important regions. the most remote places in the world, where the infrastructure was under-endowed.

Already one of the most automated underground gold mines in the world, Kibali continued its technological advance with the introduction of training simulators for trucks and drills and the integration of systems for monitoring the safety of personnel and ventilation demand control.

The simulators are also said to be used to train the operators of the Tanzanian Barrick mines, which received a new lease of life last week with an “historic” agreement between the company and the government of that country.

“The completion of the Kalimva Ikamva pre-feasibility study has delivered another viable surface project, which will help balance Kibali’s surface / underground ore ratio and improve the flexibility of the mine plan.” Extension drilling downstream at Gorumbwa has highlighted the future underground potential and conversion drilling in progress at KCD is ensuring the replenishment of the reserves.    “Overall, Kibali is on track not only to meet its ten-year production targets, but to extend them beyond that horizon,” said Bristow.

Barrick is also developing a network stabilizer project in Kibali, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter.

“The project uses new battery technology to compensate for the need to operate diesel generators as a rotation reserve and allows us to maximize the use of renewable hydro power. The installation of three new eluting diesel heaters will also help improve efficiency and control electricity costs, ” said Bristow.

Kibali is led by a majority Congolese team, supported by a body of supervisors and majority Congolese staff.

Kibali is a joint venture between Barrick (45%), AngloGold Ashanti (45%) and Société Minière de Kilo-Moto (10%). Barrick is the operator and acquired ownership of the mine through the acquisition of Randgold Resources in January 2019.